A Melancholy Reflection on Lingering Sadness: Smokie’s “Something’s Been Making Me Blue”
Ah, Smokie. The very name conjures images of smoky pubs, dim lights, and that distinctive, slightly raspy voice of Chris Norman weaving tales of everyday life and, often, the subtle aches of the heart. Their music became a comforting soundtrack for many of us, a familiar friend on the radio waves. Today, we turn our gaze back to a track that, while perhaps not their most boisterous anthem, resonated deeply with its quiet contemplation of an ever-present sadness: “Something’s Been Making Me Blue”.
Released in the autumn of 1976, this poignant ballad emerged as a standout track from their sophomore album, the aptly titled “Midnight Cafe”. While it didn’t quite reach the dizzying heights of some of their later hits, such as “Living Next Door to Alice” or “Lay Back in the Arms of Someone”, “Something’s Been Making Me Blue” nonetheless carved its own respectable place in the charts. It peaked at number 17 on the UK Singles Chart, a testament to the band’s growing popularity and the song’s undeniable emotional pull. In other parts of Europe, it also found a receptive audience, further solidifying Smokie’s international presence.
The story behind the song is as understated as its melancholic tone. Penned by the prolific songwriting duo of Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, the masterminds behind many of Smokie’s hits, “Something’s Been Making Me Blue” delves into the familiar territory of an unidentifiable sadness that seems to linger without a clear cause. It speaks to those moments in life when a shadow falls across our days, a subtle weight that we carry without fully understanding its origin. The lyrics paint a picture of a man grappling with this persistent feeling, a sense that something is amiss, yet the source remains elusive. He looks around, observes the world, and finds no apparent reason for his melancholy. The simple yet evocative lines, such as “Every morning when I wake up, nothing seems to satisfy,” capture this feeling of vague discontent that many of us have experienced at some point in our lives.
The beauty of “Something’s Been Making Me Blue” lies in its relatability. It doesn’t offer grand drama or a specific heartbreak; instead, it taps into the more common experience of a low-grade hum of sadness that can permeate our daily existence. It acknowledges that not all blues have a clear narrative, that sometimes these feelings simply are, a part of the complex tapestry of human emotion. Chris Norman’s earnest delivery, tinged with a gentle vulnerability, perfectly complements the song’s introspective mood. The arrangement, with its soft acoustic guitar intro that builds into a more layered sound with subtle harmonies and a gentle rhythm section, enhances the feeling of quiet contemplation. There’s a certain warmth in the melancholy, a sense of shared experience that makes the listener feel understood.
Looking back, “Something’s Been Making Me Blue” stands as a testament to Smokie’s versatility. While they were certainly capable of delivering upbeat and catchy rock anthems, they also possessed a knack for crafting these more tender and emotionally resonant ballads. This song, with its understated beauty and relatable theme, offered a different facet of the band, showcasing their ability to connect with listeners on a deeper, more introspective level. It reminds us that music often serves as a mirror to our own emotions, offering solace and understanding in those moments when words fail us. And even now, decades later, the gentle sadness of “Something’s Been Making Me Blue” can still evoke a sense of nostalgia, a quiet reflection on the ebb and flow of our own emotional landscapes. It’s a song that whispers to the quieter corners of our hearts, reminding us that even in sadness, there can be a certain beauty and a profound sense of shared human experience.